'This is a perfect example of why people don’t trust their government'

Stock photography

By TOM McLAUGHLIN / Daily News

Published: Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at 05:28 PM.

DeFUNIAK SPRINGS — Walton County commissioners decided it would be in their best interest Tuesday to step back and take in a sunset.

They voted to take no action on a Tourist Development Council request for a non-binding referendum to gauge interest in extending a one-half cent sales tax scheduled to sunset Sept. 30.

Members of the Walton County Taxpayer’s Association weighed in at the meeting against the referendum.

Association members made it clear they resented the thought of continuing an “emerging markets” tax established only after great debate in 2009.

Commissioners were reminded that their predecessors had publicly promised to sunset the tax, which paid Southwest Airlines to advertise in four Panama City fly-in markets, after five years.

“This is a perfect example of why people don’t trust their government,” county resident Bonnie McQuiston said.

Don Riley, the group’s president, suggested that if the commission chose to continue to implement the tax, estimated to raise about $2 million, they ought to skip the referendum and hold themselves accountable for the action.

“It this is to be imposed, it needs to be on your vote,” he said.

TDC Director Jim Bagby downplayed the drama.

The sunsetting of the emerging markets tax has never been an issue, he said. He added that if money from the tax could be diverted, the TDC could afford to do things people want done — like repairing bike trails and building beach accesses.

“I think the reason the whole subject came up was because we were getting increased demands,” he said. “We get more and more demands and somehow the demands have to be answered.”

Bagby said even with the additional half-cent assessment, Walton County’s 4.5 mill TDC levy remains the lowest of any of the state’s top 10 tourist destinations.

DeFUNIAK SPRINGS — Walton County commissioners decided it would be in their best interest Tuesday to step back and take in a sunset.

They voted to take no action on a Tourist Development Council request for a non-binding referendum to gauge interest in extending a one-half cent sales tax scheduled to sunset Sept. 30.

Members of the Walton County Taxpayer’s Association weighed in at the meeting against the referendum.

Association members made it clear they resented the thought of continuing an “emerging markets” tax established only after great debate in 2009.

Commissioners were reminded that their predecessors had publicly promised to sunset the tax, which paid Southwest Airlines to advertise in four Panama City fly-in markets, after five years.

“This is a perfect example of why people don’t trust their government,” county resident Bonnie McQuiston said.

Don Riley, the group’s president, suggested that if the commission chose to continue to implement the tax, estimated to raise about $2 million, they ought to skip the referendum and hold themselves accountable for the action.

“It this is to be imposed, it needs to be on your vote,” he said.

TDC Director Jim Bagby downplayed the drama.

The sunsetting of the emerging markets tax has never been an issue, he said. He added that if money from the tax could be diverted, the TDC could afford to do things people want done — like repairing bike trails and building beach accesses.

“I think the reason the whole subject came up was because we were getting increased demands,” he said. “We get more and more demands and somehow the demands have to be answered.”

Bagby said even with the additional half-cent assessment, Walton County’s 4.5 mill TDC levy remains the lowest of any of the state’s top 10 tourist destinations.